Friends With Fur: A Pet Blog

Your Long-Haired Cat's Tangled Fur Is A Health Hazard!

16 November 2019
by Sandra Butler

Long-haired cats are beautiful like no others, but they can potentially pay for those long, luxurious coats. If you're not taking very good care of your cat's fur, you may notice that tangles and clumps can develop in their fur. These tangles can actually pose a health hazard to your cat if you're not careful and don't attend to them quickly after they develop. Here's what you need to know about these hazards and how you can combat them.

Clumps

One of the problems is that these tangles can cause your cat's skin to be pulled on. When enough fur joins the tangle, it can literally start to yank on your cat's skin. This is not only uncomfortable but, if your cat grooms itself, that fur will be pulled on. This can potentially cause skin damage.

If that weren't enough, the tangles themselves can prevent oxygen from making it to the surface of the skin. Without this necessary circulation, inflammation can develop on the surface of the skin, making matters even worse.

Eaten

Tangles are bad enough for what they do to the skin, but they're also not great for a cat's digestion.

While it might seem like a cat can digest fur, they actually can't. The small amount that they normally consume is either ejected with their poop or thrown back up. So when a cat eats too much fur, their body can develop a blockage in the intestines.

This is a big problem. Intestinal blockages can prevent a cat from being able to 'go' or it can keep them from eating. Either way, this can quickly become a critical problem that can put a cat's life at risk.

What to Do

With the understanding you now have that your cat's tangles could pose a potential problem, you're probably ready to take action. There are two things that you should do in this situation.

The first is to tackle the tangles that are already there. You can start by clipping off the excess fur if you believe that you can do it without your cat wriggling and potentially getting injured. It's ideal to take them straight to a veterinarian, though.

The reason you should go to a vet is so they can not only remove the clumps professionally but also take a close look at the skin, too. Your cat may need treatment for any skin damage if they've had these tangles for a while.

Secondly, you'll want to take steps to ensure that this doesn't happen again. You can bring your cat to a groomer on a regular basis for this. The groomer will remove the dead hair and ensure that the living fur is untangled and well-conditioned; all of which will help to prevent future tangles.

Caring for your cat's fur is a necessary part of having a long-haired cat. If your kitty has tangles, get help right away before the situation becomes a danger to their health. For more information, contact a company like Spring Hill Veterinary Clinic today.

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Nothing is quite like the bond you develop with a pet. You and your dog know each other to the core. You and your cat have your own way of communicating, even though you do not speak their language. These pets are, in a very real sense, your friends — but they are friends you have the responsibility of caring for completely.
Determining what the best care for your pet really is can be a challenge. That's why we created this blog. The articles collected here will help you become a better owner and a better friend to your furry companion, whether they're a cat, dog, rabbit, or other species entirely.